Module: Sustainability Marketing

Latest Module Specifications

Current Academic Year 2025 - 2026

Module Title	Sustainability Marketing
Module Code	MAD1023 (ITS: MG543)
Faculty	DCU Business School	School	DCU Business School
NFQ level	9	Credit Rating	5

Description

Whether it is the impact of climate change, meeting the challenge of peak oil or water shortage, helping farmers in poorer countries through fair trade, or finding ways to keep discarded products out of the landfills, sustainability issues are the biggest challenges facing businesses, governments, and consumers. This module shows how the complexities of sustainability issues can be integrated into marketing decisions through a step-by-step approach. The steps involve an analysis of socio-ecological priorities to complement conventional consumer research; a new consumer-oriented sustainability marketing mix of the ‘4 Cs’ (Customer Solutions, Communications, Customer Cost, Convenience) to replace the outmoded and producer-oriented ‘4 Ps’; and finally an analysis on how marketing can go beyond responding to social change and contribute to a transformation of a more sustainable society. The overall aim of the Sustainability Marketing module is to: explore the challenging relationship between sustainability and marketing

Learning Outcomes

1. Produce effective teamwork by examining abstract ideas in class discussion.
2. 1D76420F-2F9F-0001-885B-516D1D6010D9
3. Apply the sustainability marketing concept to different kinds of companies, industries, and countries.

*Type*	*Hours*	*Description*
Workload	Full time hours per semester
Lecture	20	Parts 1 to IV
Group work	20	Readings and preparation for class
Assignment Completion	30	Group assignment with company
Independent Study	30	Research in library and online in relation to individual assignment
Directed learning	15	Online blog and classroom discussion
Independent Study	10	Researching global resources on sustainability
Total Workload: 125

Section Breakdown
CRN	20679	Part of Term	Semester 2
Coursework	0%	Examination Weight	0%
Grade Scale	40PASS	Pass Both Elements	Y
Resit Category	RC1	Best Mark	N
Module Co-ordinator	Peter Robbins	Module Teacher	John Connolly

Type	Description	% of total	Assessment Date
Assessment Breakdown
Report(s)	An individual written report : A major deliverable for this module is a written report on a sustainability marketing mix (‘4 Cs’) of a selected product or service (offered by a Irish company).	60%	Sem 2 End
Group assignment	Working with a company students will assess its product/service offerings and will also draft recommendations as to how these enterprises can develop a Sustainability Marketing Mix	40%	Week 29

Reassessment Requirement Type
Resit arrangements are explained by the following categories; RC1: A resit is available for both^* components of the module. RC2: No resit is available for a 100% coursework module. RC3: No resit is available for the coursework component where there is a coursework and summative examination element. ^* ‘Both’ is used in the context of the module having a coursework/summative examination split; where the module is 100% coursework, there will also be a resit of the assessment

Pre-requisite	None
Co-requisite	None
Compatibles	None
Incompatibles	None

All module information is indicative and subject to change. For further information,students are advised to refer to the University's Marks and Standards and Programme Specific Regulations at: http://www.dcu.ie/registry/examinations/index.shtml

Indicative Content and Learning Activities

Introduction to Module and Assessment
Lecture

Part I Understanding Sustainability and Marketing

Marketing in the 21st Century
Lecture

Framing Sustainability Marketing
Lecture

Meeting with Client for Group Projects
Briefing sessions

Part II Developing Sustainability Marketing Opportunities

Socio-ecological Problems
Lecture

Sustainable Consumer Behaviour
Lecture

Part III Developing the Sustainability Marketing Mix

Customer Solutions I
Lecture

Customer Solutions II
Lecture

Communications
Lecture

Customer Cost and Convenience
Lecture

Part IV Developing the Future of Sustainability Marketing

Sustainability Marketing Transformations
Lecture

Presentation of Group Projects.
Evaluation of group assignments

Submission of individual assignment
Coursework submission

Indicative Reading List

Books:

Frank-Martin Belz, Ken Peattie,: 0, Sustainability Marketing: A Global Perspective, John Wiley &Sons, Chichester, 292, ISBN 978-0-470-51922-6

Articles:
None

Other Resources

1: Website, Sustainability Blog,